EVENTS
Rough Stock Rider and Saddler
Born in Jasper County, Iowa, in 1918, Charley Beals was captivated by the cowboy and western way of life from an early age. He joined the Miller Brothers Wild West Rodeo in 1937. That same year he also joined the Cowboys Turtle Association and began competing in all three rough-stock events.
During the following decade, Beals captured the bull-riding title at Houston in 1943 and 1948, the bareback-bronc title at Tulsa in 1947, and the saddle-bronc and all-around titles at Wichita in 1948. In 1946 he and his wife, Imogene, opened the Veach Saddlery Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to fine saddles, he became widely recognized for his production of the Beals bareback-bronc rigging, used by bareback champions throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
For many years the Veach shop was a magnet for rodeo hands seeking equipment, advice and good company. Charlie Beals was an early and spirited supporter of the Rodeo Historical Society, serving on its board from 1985 through 1989. Charlie Beals died in 1994.
